– The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), informally called Mangalyaan (Sanskrit for “Mars-Craft”), is a Mars orbiter launched into Earth orbit on 5 November 2013 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

– Mars Mission successful, ISRO confirms

Why was it launched in the First Place ?

The mission is a “technology demonstrator” project aiming to develop the technologies required for design, planning, management, and operations of an interplanetary mission

It is India’s first interplanetary mission and, if successful, ISRO would become the fourth space agency to reach Mars, after the Soviet space program, NASA, and the European Space Agency

On Sept 22, Mars Orbiter or Mission (MoM) successfully completed the fourth trajectory correction manoeuvre and test fire of the main liquid engine on the spacecraft. This operation was crucial as the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) was lying idle since December 1 last year.

What are the payloads

Mars Orbiter Mission carries five scientific payloads to observe Martian surface, atmosphere and exosphere extending up to 80,000 km for a detailed understanding of the evolution of that planet, especially the related geologic and the possible biogenic processes on that interesting planet. These payloads consist of a camera, two spectrometers, a radiometer and a photometer. Together, they have a weight of about 15 kg.

After a 10-month trek, India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) is expected to reach Mars on at 7:41 a.m. India Standard Time on Wednesday, Sept. 24 (that’s 10:11 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Sept. 23) after a firing its engine for 24 minutes to enter orbit around the planet.